


The Doctor's Appointment

by DJ_unicornsrgr8



Series: Peter & Bucky Are Pals [8]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Art Included!, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Fluff, Guilt, Late-night coffee runs, Nightmares, Owlet's OCs are the best, Parent Pepper Potts, Protective Bucky Barnes, Superfamily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-27 04:21:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13873011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DJ_unicornsrgr8/pseuds/DJ_unicornsrgr8
Summary: There has to be some kind of life-threatening emergency - why else would Bucky show up in the middle of Peter's Spanish class?...Nope. It's time for Peter's annual physical appointment, which he'd been informed of and promptly forgotten about.Featuring an anxious Bucky, three awesome elderly people, a scheming cat, and other fluffy things.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Long Road Begins at Home](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5339822) by [owlet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/owlet/pseuds/owlet). 



> The Olds, Cat Eleanor, and Katie are all OCs belonging to Owlet from her series Infinite Coffee and Protection Detail, which I highly recommend reading!

Peter was sitting at his desk, doodling absently in the margins of his notebook when his Spanish teacher went suddenly silent. It took a second to register as odd in Peter’s mind, and he looked up. He followed the teacher’s nervous gaze to the door, and standing there was an impassive Bucky, his arms crossed.

“Can… can I help you?” the teacher asked, wide-eyed.

“I’m here for Peter. Doctor’s appointment.”

“Okay,” the teacher said slowly, turning to Peter, who hadn’t moved in favor of studying Bucky’s expression. Why was he here? Something must have happened. Bucky raised his eyebrows, motioning for Peter to hurry the hell up. Peter fumbled with his notebook, shoving it in his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. He nearly tripped over his chair, and there were a few titters as he scurried to the door. He fell into step with Bucky in the hall, releasing his confusion.

“Why are you here? What happened? Is everyone okay?”

“You have a doctor’s appointment,” Bucky said, giving Peter an unimpressed look.

“I… what? Really? No I don’t.”

“Pepper reminded you last week.”

“No she di…” Peter trailed off, the memory of Pepper informing him that he had his annual physical popping up in the back of his mind. “Oh.”

“Oh,” Bucky repeated, sounding ever-so-faintly amused. “Is right.”

“Wait, how come you’re taking me? Aren’t you… not really a fan of doctors?”

“Banner’s alright.”

Peter wasn’t sure if that was supposed to be a joke. 

“Pepper got stuck in a meeting. She’ll meet us there,” Bucky said. Peter nodded, pushing one of the the front doors open and holding it for Bucky, who looked briefly surprised before stepping outside. They hopped down the concrete steps to the curb, where a car was waiting. Bucky took a breath before climbing in, and Peter followed. Bucky’s shoulders were taut and drawn up as the car started to move; Peter watched him with concern.

“You didn’t have to pick me up.”

“Wanted to,” Bucky said.

“But you hate cars. And doctors. And… people.”

Bucky shrugged, though it was more of a clenching of his muscles that were already incredibly tense to begin with. “It’s fine.”

Peter looked dubious, and Bucky let out a little huff.

“How was school.”

“Well… My new chemistry teacher is cool. I like her a lot. She lets us do fun labs, like making foam by decomposing hydrogen peroxide. Oh, and she let us make slime the day after our unit test! It was awesome! Except this one kid, he used too much food coloring and his hands got stained blue, like… _really_ blue. It looked like he’d been puked on by a smurf or something. And the guy that sits next to me is actually nice, like, he says hi to me and stuff!” Peter paused for breath to find that the lines in Bucky’s face weren’t as deep, and his shoulders had lowered minutely. 

“Is Flash still bothering you.”

Peter shook his head. “No. Well, not really. He still calls me Penis sometimes, but I don’t care about that. It’s fine, I swear.”

Bucky made a discontented sound, but didn’t argue. 

“I’m in a different gym class now, so I don’t see him in the locker room. Things are better, really.”

Bucky nodded. Peter fiddled absently with his earbuds in his pocket, glancing out the window as the car slowed and came to a stop. Bucky pitched himself out onto the sidewalk, sucking in a few big breaths of fresh air, clearly relieved to be out of the confined space. Peter trotted around the car; Bucky rested a hand on his shoulder, steering him into the pediatrician’s office that he’d been coming to since he was a child. A nurse walked by in scrubs, and Bucky tried to cover a flinch.

“You don’t have to stay,” Peter told him. “Pepper’s probably going to be here soon.”

Bucky didn’t reply, just edged closer to Peter. A few tiny beads of sweat were visible below his hairline. Peter couldn’t imagine why Bucky would torture himself by forcing himself to stay in a doctor’s office, but he doubted he could do anything about it.

“Good, you’re early,” someone said, and Bucky visibly coiled before relaxing at the sight of Pepper. “Barnes, you didn’t have to come in.”

“S’fine,” said Bucky gruffly. A door creaked loudly and he twitched, his fingers spasming on Peter’s shoulder.

“Go outside,” Pepper told him, firm but not ordering. Bucky shook his head stiffly, and Pepper touched his arm. “Peter’s just fine with me. It’s only a checkup. It won’t take more than half an hour.”

Bucky didn’t say anything; he glared at Pepper, who didn’t waver.

“Nothing’s going to happen, Barnes. Go outside. You have to take care of yourself.”

“Mission, protect,” Bucky grunted. “Not leaving.”

“I can protect him. He’s safe.”

A doctor strode by, and Bucky seized up. He let out a sharp breath, grinding his teeth together. He was shaking slightly. Pepper ran her hand down his arm.

“Go on, Barnes. We’ll be just fine.”

Bucky closed his eyes for a moment, his jaw painfully tight. When he reopened them, he looked defeated. He glanced around before pulling a tiny knife from his sleeve and tucking it into Pepper’s purse. He then took out a small sheet of bugs and stuck one in the collar of Peter’s shirt.

“That won’t work, Barnes,” Pepper said softly. “You have to take off your clothes at the doctor’s.”

Bucky stiffened.

“They give you a gown,” Pepper told him. “It’s normal.”

Bucky removed another bug and stuck it in Peter’s hair, near the roots. In any other situation, Peter would’ve laughed, but Bucky looked anxious under the hardened layers. Peter reached up and removed Bucky’s hand from his shoulder so he could give him a hug.

“I’ll be fine,” he said, stepping back and smiling. Bucky’s hands twitched and he gave Peter a long, wild look before forcing himself to the door. Pepper beckoned for Peter to follow her to the front desk.

“He hates doctors,” Peter said.

“He does. But he cares even more about you, right up there next to Steve.”

“Really?” Peter looked faintly dumbfounded.

“Definitely. Steve’s always been his primary mission, but you’re probably sub-mission one, next to the Olds.”

“... The Olds?”

Pepper stared at him for a moment before letting out a surprised laugh. “I can’t believe you haven’t met the Olds! They’re going to love you. We’ll take you to see them soon.”

They reached the front desk, and Pepper smiled at the receptionist.

“I’m checking in Peter Parker?”

The receptionist glanced at Peter and typed something in to her computer. “You’re all set. You can sit in the chairs to the left until your name is called.”

“Thank you,” Pepper said, making her way over to the waiting area with Peter behind her. They sat down, and Peter’s gaze came to rest on the kids’ toys scattered around the floor. Bricks, twisted wires with beads on them, picture books. He used to play with them when he was younger. Nostalgia washed over him, and he smiled as a little girl pushed a truck across the carpet.

“Everything’s fine, Bucky,” he said quietly, hoping the bug would pick up his voice, and Pepper gave him a warm look.

“Sam said that Steve used to do that, talk to Barnes once he realized that he’d bugged him.”

“Did Sam do it too?”

Pepper laughed. “Sam didn’t know that Barnes had bugged his house. He wasn’t too happy when he found out, but Barnes apologized and he got over it. Apparently Barnes gave him a literal handful of bugs when he took them down.”

Peter grinned at the mental image.

“Peter Parker?” a nurse called, and Peter got up. He made his way to the door where the nurse was waiting and followed her down the hall, where she weighed him and measured his height. She led him into an exam room and sat him down to take his blood pressure. 

“110 over 75,” she muttered to herself, scribbling something on a clipboard. She then pulled out a gown from a cabinet by the sink. “Change into this, please. The doctor will be with you in ten minutes.”

Peter nodded, slipping out of his pants and pulling off his shirt once the nurse had left and closed the door behind herself. He pulled on the gown and tried to tie it in the back before giving up and sitting on the paper-covered table.

“Everything’s still fine,” he told Bucky. “Don’t worry.”

He doubted Bucky would stop worrying, but it was worth a try, he figured. He felt bad for being the reason that Bucky was worried, though he was pretty sure that Bucky would be furious to hear it, so he tried to quell the thought. He stared at the pale wall across from him, humming absently to a song he’d heard on the radio yesterday. His mind wandered from Bucky to Tony and the latest upgrade on his suit; he spared a moment to worry about what he was missing in class before trying to think of ways to improve impact absorption in his boots. He’d taken a jump from one building to another a few nights ago that had left his ankles twinging painfully for the rest of his patrol. 

There was a knock on the door, and Peter startled.

“Come in,” he said quickly, and the familiar face of his pediatrician, Dr. Clements, appeared in the doorway. She smiled, making her way inside and sitting down. She opened her laptop and looked up at him.

“How are you doing today, Peter?”

“I’m good,” Peter replied, bouncing his leg.

“I’m glad to hear that. I’m just going to ask you some questions, and then I’ll do the physical exam. How have things been at school?”

“Pretty good. Some kids were sort of bothering me, but Pepper took care of it.”

“Excellent. Are things good at home?” asked Dr. Clements.

“Yeah, everyone’s really great. I’m happy, which is more than I sort of expected. Y’know, after… May.”

Dr. Clements nodded, her eyes soft. “Last time you were here, you were displaying some signs of depression. How has your mood been lately?”

“It’s better, I think. I mean… it’s hard sometimes, but I have people to help me. I got lucky with that. Tony, Pepper, Steve, Bu- James, Natasha, Clint, Bruce, Hill… They’re all really awesome.”

“It sounds like you have plenty of people you can talk to, very good. How much sleep have you been getting?”

Peter frowned. “It… depends. I guess. On how much I… dream. Between three and seven hours, maybe.”

“Nightmares?” Dr. Clements asked gently. Peter nodded. “How do you deal with those?”

“I don’t really… I don’t know. Sometimes I just try to go back to bed.”

“And when you don’t?”

“I just sit around, I guess. Or I go on my phone. When Bu- James is up, I hang out with him. He helps. He said I can hang out with him when I can’t sleep, but I don’t want to bother him.” It was only after the words came out that Peter remembered that Bucky was listening. He winced.

“Going to bed at a set time each night can help with nightmares. I’d recommend ten o’clock. At your age, you should really be getting eight hours of sleep, though I understand that’s not always feasible.” Dr. Clement gave him a slightly wry smile. “How has your diet been? Eating your vegetables?”

“I usually eat pretty healthy. I mean, except for Bu- James’s cookies. He’s the best baker I know.”

“And how much exercise do you usually get?”

“Uh… Aside from gym class, I get a couple hours of exercise most days of the week.” From patrol, Peter’s brain supplied, though he wasn’t about to say that.

“That’s excellent. And your bowel movements are normal? No pain, constipation…”

Peter’s cheeks tinged slightly pink as he shook his head.

“Good. Do you smoke, drink, do any drugs?”

Peter shook his head again, firmly this time.

“Have you had any sexual partners since I saw you last?”

“No,” Peter said, and there was the blush again.

“Nothing wrong with that,” said Dr. Clements merrily. “Would you like a free condom?”

“Um… I-”

Dr. Clements pulled a drawer open, pulled out a square package, and pressed it into Peter’s hand. “If you use it, be sure to check the expiry date.”

“Condoms expire?” Peter said, his voice faint.

“What are they teaching you in health class?” Dr. Clements shook her head. “Condoms do expire. Before using a condom, always check the expiry date and make sure that there are no obvious rips or tears. If you squeeze the unopened packet, there should be a little air bubble inside.”

Peter squeezed the plastic package and felt a pocket of air inside. He nodded slowly. Dr. Clements smiled.

“It’s better to have the knowledge than not.” She tugged her stethoscope from around her neck and settled the eartips in place. “I’m going to listen to your heart, then your lungs.”

She placed the drum to his chest and listened, then slid it around to his back.

“Deep breath in?”

Peter took a breath. She nodded and shifted the drum.

“Again?”

Peter inhaled; the process repeated down the other side of his back. She then shined a light in his eyes and peered into his ears, declaring them perfectly functional. They were a little more than perfectly functional, but she didn’t need to know that, Peter thought. She unwrapped a tongue depressor and looked down his throat, then tapped at his knees to test his reflexes.

“Almost finished. I’ll just check your abdomen, and then your spine.”

Peter laid down on the table so she could check for abdominal abnormalities, then stood up and leaned forward so she could look for unevenness in his spine. She found nothing, to no surprise.

“All good?” he asked for Bucky’s benefit.

“You’re a perfectly healthy young man. Is there anything else you’d like to talk about before I call in your guardian?”

Peter shook his head.

“Alright, I’ll be right back. You can change back into your clothes, I’ll knock before opening the door.”

“Thanks,” Peter said. Dr. Clements smiled and slipped out the door, closing it behind herself. Peter took off the gown and pulled his shirt over his head, careful not to muss his hair in case he dislodged the bug. He tugged on his pants and shoes and took a seat on the table again. There was a knock on the door, and Dr. Clements entered with Pepper behind her.

“Peter’s in good shape,” Dr. Clements was saying. “He’s gained some weight since last year, which puts him in the healthy range. His heart, his lungs, everything looks good. Is there anything you wanted to bring up?”

“Is there anything we can do to help his nightmares? I worry that he doesn’t get enough sleep,” said Pepper.

“We talked about that briefly,” Dr. Clements said. “Unfortunately, there’s no cure for nightmares. Aside from medication, creating a nightly routine has been shown to help. I’d always recommend staying off computers and phones before bed, but that seems to be difficult for kids these days.”

Pepper smiled. “Always attached to their phones. I’ll keep that in mind. Peter, did you have any questions?”

Peter shook his head.

“We should be going, then. A certain someone has been texting me exactly every two minutes,” Pepper said, and her phone chimed. “I’m sure that was him again. Thank you, Doc. I hope you have a good day.”

“You as well,” Dr. Clements said pleasantly. “Call me any time if you’re having problems, alright, Peter? Let’s hope I don’t see you for another year.”

That drew a laugh out of Peter. “Thank you.”

“Of course. Have a good one.”

Peter followed Pepper down the hall, past the waiting room, and out the front doors, where he was immediately accosted by an anxious Bucky. 

“I’m fine, it went well,” he said, but Bucky wasn’t appeased until he ran his hands over Peter’s arms for injuries or injection sites. Finding none, he stepped back, chest rising and falling visibly. Peter noticed an earbud still tucked in his ear, probably the feed for the bug.

“See? He’s just fine,” said Pepper. “Just an annual physical, nothing to worry about.”

Bucky gritted his teeth, but nodded.

“Do you want to go see the Olds?” Pepper asked, her voice gentler. Bucky looked to Peter.

“Have you met the Olds.”

“Not yet,” Peter said.

“Should we fix that?” said Pepper.

Bucky inclined his head decisively.

“Are you going to be alright in the car?”

A minute flinch, but another nod. They headed to the curb where a car was waiting; Bucky balked slightly, but Peter climbed in and he followed. His shoulders were set tight as they crossed the bridge to Brooklyn. Peter rested a hand cautiously on his metal arm, which whirred at the contact. Peter moved to pull away, but Bucky shifted closer. His brow was low, and he wore an expression of tense concentration.

“You don’t bother me,” he said after several minutes. Peter tilted his head to look at him, confused.

“Good?” he said slowly.

Bucky’s face contorted in some sort of grimace. Words didn’t seem to be a strength of his. “Earlier. You said you don’t want to bother me. When you can’t sleep.” Bucky paused. “You don’t bother me. I don’t sleep much.”

“Oh,” Peter said, his tone slightly uncertain.

“I don’t want you to be alone,” Bucky told him.

“I don’t want to wake you up if you’re sleeping, though…”

“Don’t care.”

“How about this,” Pepper said upon seeing the frown on Peter’s face. “When one of you isn’t sleeping, JARVIS will let you know if the other is awake. If you’re both awake, then you don’t have to be alone.”

“Okay,” Peter said, and Bucky echoed him, looking relieved. He seemed to loosen slightly as they neared their destination; at least Peter assumed they were getting close, because they’d crossed the Brooklyn Bridge and were off I-478. Sure enough, the car pulled onto a narrower street and slowed as they approached a relatively generic apartment building. Across the road was a bare lot; whatever was there must’ve recently been demolished. Peter had half-expected a nursing home.

Bucky jumped ship before the car came to a full stop; Peter went to follow, but Pepper gave him a stern look. He dutifully waited until the car was in park before hopping out to join Bucky on the sidewalk. Pepper followed them up the steps to the front door and pressed the buzzer for apartment 3D.

“Hello? Who is it?” an elderly voice crackled.

“It’s Pepper Potts,” Pepper replied. “I brought Barnes and my son Peter to see you.”

“Pepper? Come right up! How exciting, Lidia, did you hear that? Pepper and Jimmy are here with that Peter he’s always talking about! It’s a long ti-” the sound cut out, and the door unlocked with a clink. Pepper pushed it open, holding it for Bucky and Peter and following them to the stairs. The door to 3D was already wide open when they reached the landing, and a tiny old woman ushered them in, smiling widely. She greeted Bucky with a hug, and his shoulders drooped as the tension bled out of them.

“Hi, Esther.”

“It’s so good to see you, Jimmy. Eleanor’s missed you.”

“It’s true, she’s been an utter brat lately,” said another old woman, this one with broader shoulders and sharp eyes that reminded Peter of Natasha’s. This was Lidia, he presumed, before he was being wrapped in a warm hug by Esther. Lidia seemed pleased to have her turn hugging Bucky; she reached up, grasping his jaw gently and tilting his head down to study him.

“You look better, Jim,” she decided. “You’ve been eating well?”

Bucky nodded. 

“Good.”

Esther stepped back from Peter, hands on her hips. “Are you hungry, dear? Of course you are, boys at your age are always hungry. Come, I made lemon squares this morning and I’ll be damned if Ollie doesn’t try to eat them all. Oh, speaking of Ollie, would you pop across the hall and fetch him, Jimmy? He’ll be a terrible grouch if he thinks he’s missed out on seeing you.”

Bucky headed out the door as Esther led Peter to the small dining table; he returned a minute later with a thin man wearing a unsightly sweater-vest who seemed to be in the middle of telling Bucky an exciting story.

“... And the man behind the counter- Why hello! Jimmy, you didn’t say you brought Ms. Potts with you! Where’s Steve, and who’s this?”

“This is Peter,” Pepper said, greeting Ollie as Bucky shut the door behind them. Peter waved, busy chewing a bite of lemon square. Ollie beamed.

“Peter! Good to meet you at last, I’ve heard so much about you! All good things, all good things… Are those lemon squares? Don’t mind if I-”

“Oh no you don’t,” Esther said severely. “You wait until our guests have eaten their fill.”

Ollie sighed, looking longingly at the treats. Lidia took Bucky’s elbow and guided him over to the table, sitting him next to Peter and handing him a lemon square. Bucky ate; some of the lines around his eyes softened.

“Where’s Eleanor,” he asked.

“Oh, she’s hiding under the bed, I’m sure. She’ll be out in ten minutes, you know how she is with new people,” Esther told him. He nodded, and Esther offered a lemon square to Pepper. “How have you been, dear? It feels like forever since we’ve seen you!”

“I’ve been fairly busy lately,” Pepper replied, smiling in thanks for the lemon square. “Lots of meetings, conferences, all that. Nothing I can’t manage, though.”

“That’ll be because you’re important,” said Ollie, lifting an index finger. “Important people are always busy.”

“You’re flattering me,” Pepper said modestly, her cheeks tinging pink. Peter had the brief thought that maybe he’d gotten that from her before shaking himself. She wasn’t his biological mother.

“It’s true,” Ollie told her. “Don’t deny it, young lady.”

“Oh, I’m not that young,” said Pepper, ducking her head.

“You are compared to us!” Lidia crowed. “Take the compliment, you deserve it. You must not get enough of them, being so busy with work. All that excitement must be tiring.”

“I wouldn’t say excitement,” Pepper replied. “When things get exciting, that’s when I get worried. Excitement usually means some sort of fight that everyone’s launching themselves into.”

“I suppose that’s true,” Lidia said. “But even if you think it’s dull, it’s far more interesting than these bores!”

“Lies and slander,” said Esther. “I’m not a bore, Ollie is.”

“Excuse me!” Ollie sputtered. “I’ll have you know that _I_ was the one who helped Jimmy pull off the stunt with O’Riley’s thug!”

“You just rode along,” Esther said, shaking her head with a fond smile.

“It was my car!” Ollie insisted. “I was useful, wasn’t I, Jim?”

“Don’t put words in his mouth,” Lidia scolded. She patted Bucky’s arm and passed him another lemon square, then turned to Pepper. “What brought you to Brooklyn today?”

“Oh, Peter had a doctor’s appointment, and we thought we’d stop by afterwards,” said Pepper. Bucky looked grateful that she’d omitted his anxiety. 

Peter felt something brush against his legs and looked down to find a cat striding past him and jumping into Bucky’s lap. She made a few holes in Bucky’s jeans before making a ‘mrrp’ sound and pressing her nose to his stomach. Bucky’s eyes softened further, and he used his flesh hand to scratch her neck.

“There’s the little beast,” Lidia said. “She’s been a terror, really, Jimmy. It’s amazing I sleep at all between Esther’s snoring and that monster running laps in the middle of the night.”

Bucky let out a little huff that could’ve been a laugh.

“She misses him,” said Esther, watching as Eleanor burrowed beneath Bucky’s shirt. “Don’t blame her, now.”

“I can blame you, then?” Lidia said hopefully, and Esther clucked her tongue, her eyes crinkling.

“You set yourself up for that one,” Ollie said; Esther ceded with a wave of her hand and passed Peter another lemon square.

“I don’t snore,” she insisted.

“Oh, hooey,” Lidia said. “I’ll get one of those audio recording devices and prove you wrong someday.”

“Don’t you have a tablet?” Pepper asked. Lidia’s eyes twinkled.

“I do! What a brilliant idea! You’re such a smart woman, don’t deny it. I’ll be right back.”

“Look what you’ve done,” Esther said to Pepper good-naturedly. “Oh dear, I hope she doesn’t succeed.”

“So you’re admitting that you snore?” Ollie asked.

“I most certainly am not!” Esther replied. “Don’t you do your sneaky word-twisting again. Take a lemon square, if it’ll quiet you for five minutes.”

Ollie looked exceedingly pleased with himself as he picked out the largest lemon square and took a big bite. “Mm-mm.”

“You’ve tricked me, haven’t you,” Esther said. “You scamp, Oliver.”

Ollie grinned, enjoying his lemon square. Lidia returned to her seat, tablet in hand.

“Peter, you must be good with technology. Will you show me how to make an audio recording?”

“Sure!” Peter replied, momentarily surprised. “Do you want it to just be audio, or video, too?”

“A video would be nice. Better evidence,” said Lidia schemingly. Esther shook her head, moving off to the kitchen and opening the fridge. 

“What type of cheese would you like today, Jimmy?” she called. “We have the usual sharp cheddar, but there’s a new goat’s milk cheese from the market that I think you’ll enjoy.”

Bucky tilted his head, contemplating. His hand was resting on top of the lump in his shirt that was Eleanor. “Both.”

Esther laughed. “Of course. I like the way you think.”

Bucky smiled faintly at that, just the corners of his mouth, but he looked more relaxed than Peter had ever seen him. Huh. The bundle of cat in his shirt wriggled, and he winced slightly before Eleanor’s head popped out of his collar. Peter giggled; Eleanor made a faintly disgruntled sound and rubbed her head against Bucky’s stubble.

“That cat,” Lidia said with grudging fondness. “Now, for videos, what do I do?”

“Well, first you go to the camera app,” said Peter, pointing at it. Lidia clicked it, raising her eyebrows.

“Isn’t this for taking pictures?”

“Yeah, but you can also take videos with it,” Peter replied. 

“Ah,” said Lidia brightly. “You learn something new every month.”

“Day,” Ollie corrected. “It’s you learn something new every _day_.”

“Well, I don’t,” Lidia said. Everyone laughed, and Eleanor disappeared back into Bucky’s shirt.

Esther made her way over with a plate of cheese and crackers, setting it on the table and urging Bucky and Peter to eat. Peter obligingly took a cracker with cheddar, nibbling at it as he showed Lidia how to take videos. She caught on quickly and soon began testing her skills; she managed to film Ollie sneezing so hard that his glasses fell off, much to her delight and everyone’s amusement.

“How do you like the goat cheese?” Esther asked Bucky.

“It’s good,” he replied. Esther beamed, and he took another cracker. Eleanor popped out of his collar and batted the cracker from his hand, devouring the lump of cheese that was smeared on top. Everyone was silent for a moment before bursting into gales of laughter, even Bucky let out more than his usual huff of mirth. Ollie wiped his eyes with a handkerchief that looked similar to one that Peter had seen Steve use once or twice.

“Drat you, Eleanor,” Esther announced, shaking her head. Eleanor looked excessively smug.

“We _must_ do something about that cat,” Lidia said. Eleanor narrowed her eyes and retreated back into her lair. Bucky smiled, his eyes crinkling delicately.

“Cat Eleanor is a mission-assist.”

“Even though she steals your cheese?”

Bucky nodded, his dimples growing deeper.

“Look at that smile,” Esther said, squeezing his shoulder gently. “You’ve come a long way, Jimmy. I’m so proud of you.”

Bucky’s smile widened into grin territory; Peter noticed that Pepper looked a little teary. He never would’ve guessed that old people would bring out Bucky’s soft side, but there they were, and Bucky looked perfectly at home.

\----  
Bonus art!

Bonus bonus! Bucky and Eleanor!

(My art)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sleep, or lack thereof.

Sleep was a deceptive thing, Peter decided, though not so eloquently, seeing as it was four in the morning. 

They’d gotten back from visiting the Olds in the afternoon; Pepper had headed to a meeting and Peter had done his homework. Bucky had disappeared for a few hours before returning in the evening with Japanese takeout. They’d eaten lazily in the living room, joined by most of the others to watch cartoons until it was time for bed. Peter had been loose and sleep had taken him quickly, to his contentment. He thought that would be that; he’d wake up and it would be Saturday. He was wrong.

His sense of security was trashed by nightmares, ones in which he couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t scream or call for help. Those were the worst, he thought to himself upon waking, shivering in a cold sweat. A small sound escaped his mouth, and he tightened his jaw, hiding beneath his blankets from the dark corners of his room.

“Would you like me to turn on the lights, Mr. Parker?” JARVIS asked, and Peter startled hard despite the soft voice.

“Yes. Please,” he mumbled, teeth chattering. He pulled the blankets tighter around himself.

“My apologies for startling you. I should’ve taken your enhanced hearing into account.”

“S’fine,” Peter said, exhaling as the lights came on. 

“Is there anything else I can do to assist you?” asked JARVIS.

“Um…” Peter hesitated. “Is… anyone awake?”

“Doctor Banner is working in his laboratory, and Sergeant Barnes is at the coffee bar downstairs.”

“Okay. Okay, I… Uh…”

“Would you like me to send Sergeant Barnes up?”

“If… If he doesn’t mind…”

“I can assure you that he will not.” JARVIS paused. “He would like me to inform you that his estimated time of arrival is two point three minutes.”

“Thanks,” Peter murmured.

“No problem, Mr. Parker.”

For 2.3 minutes, Peter sat in his bed, wrapped in blankets. Residual shivers wracked him every few seconds, and he tried not to blink in order to avoid the remnants of his nightmares behind his eyes. There was a tap on the door before it opened a crack and Bucky slipped in, concern knitted into his expression. He perched himself on the edge of Peter’s bed and gave him a thoroughly assessing look before reaching out and wiping the beads of sweat from his brow. Peter shivered, and Bucky frowned.

“Does your bathroom have a bathtub.”

Peter looked up, thrown by the question. “Yeah.”

“Hot baths are helpful. They draw out the cold.”

“Okay,” Peter said, because Bucky knew a thing or two about cold. Bucky nodded and disappeared into the bathroom; Peter heard the tap turn on and water rush into the tub. He got up, shaky on his legs, and followed. Bucky looked up from the water, pressing his lips together at the sight of goosebumps on Peter’s arms.

“Building. Can you turn up the heat.”

“Of course, Sergeant Barnes. I’ve turned the heat up to twenty-seven degrees celsius.”

“Celsius,” Bucky said approvingly, mostly to himself. He dipped his fingers in the water, feeling the temperature. He toggled with the hot water knob a bit before looking back up at Peter, who shivered particularly violently. Bucky stood up, unzipping his sweater and wrapping it around Peter’s shoulders.

“Thanks,” Peter murmured. Bucky shrugged, his metal arm glinting under the bathroom lights. Peter caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and winced. He looked like a mess; his hair was badly rumpled and his face was pale and clammy.

“Why are you awake?” he found himself asking Bucky.

“Same reason as you are, pal.”

Pal. That one was new. It made Peter feel warm, despite the prickling of his skin beneath the fabric of Bucky’s sweater. Bucky reached over and turned off the tap as the water reached the three-quarters mark.

“I’ll be upstairs,” he said, slipping past Peter for the door. Peter must’ve made a noise, because he stopped and turned, looking expectant.

“I…” Peter looked down at the tile beneath his feet. “Never mind.”

Bucky didn’t keep walking, and when Peter finally looked up, his eyebrows were raised.

“It’s stupid,” Peter mumbled, his cheeks coloring pink. Bucky gave him an appraising look.

“Spit it out.”

“Maybe… Can you stay? Not… right here, but… outside? Maybe?”

“Alright.”

Peter nodded, relief washing him. Bucky disappeared from sight and he stripped off his clothes, getting quickly into the tub. He let out a breath as he sunk into the steaming water.

“It’s nice,” he said, just loud enough for Bucky to hear. He didn’t get an immediate response; his anxiety spiked before he caught Bucky’s voice.

“Good.”

They fell into silence, and though the bath was warming Peter, it did nothing for the residue of fear in the back of his mind. He didn’t like being alone.

“Bucky?”

Bucky grunted in acknowledgement.

“Can you… Do you mind sitting in the doorway?”

Again, no response, and Peter was about to take back his words before Bucky scooted into view, leaning his back against the doorframe. He kept his eyes from the tub, though the angle wouldn’t permit him to see anything.

“Bucky?” Peter said again after a pause.

“Yeah?”

“How do you take baths if your arm isn’t fully waterproof?”

Bucky seemed surprised at the question. “It dries.”

“It doesn’t electrocute you?”

“No.”

“Oh. That’s good.”

“Yes,” Bucky said, his voice slightly odd. Peter lifted his head a little and looked at him; his expression was tight, like he was remembering something unpleasant. Crap.

“I’m sorry,” said Peter. “Did I… Were you electrocuted?”

Bucky’s eyebrows lifted in surprise, like Peter was missing something obvious. “Yes.”

“That’s really horrible. Did… Did you dream about it tonight?”

Bucky shook his head. “Something else.”

Peter wanted to ask, but didn’t have the nerve. He wasn’t sure if he would want someone to ask what haunted _him_ at night. He supposed if Bucky asked, he would tell him. As if Bucky had read his mind:

“If you’d like. You can tell me what you dreamed about.”

Peter hesitated a moment before speaking. “Well… I fought this guy, he was my crush’s dad, that was awkward, but anyway… He… sort of… dropped a building on me? And it was… I thought I was gonna die, it was crushing me,” Peter paused for a breath, finding that his voice was wobbling. “I… I got out, but… just the feeling of being crushed, I can remember it so well, and in the dream, I can’t move, I’m just being… And I can’t breathe, and it feels like there’s rocks and dust in my lungs and in my eyes, and… it was just really… scary.”

When Peter raised his head, Bucky looked absolutely furious. His hands twitched, and the plates on his left arm whirred as they shifted.

“A building.”

Peter nodded.

“Someone dropped. A building.”

“Yeah,” Peter said, his voice small. Bucky took a few breaths.

“I want to fucking incinerate him.”

Peter let out a hollow laugh at the irony.

“What.”

“I pulled him out of a fire. He’s in prison now.”

Bucky’s eye twitched; he remained stiff before exhaling. “You’re too much like Steve.”

“That’s a bad thing?”

“No fucking sense of self-preservation. Sees the greater good. Makes you a good person, but could get you killed.”

“We’re all going to die someday,” Peter said, and Bucky rubbed a hand over his face. For a fleeting moment, he looked closer to 100 than 35.

“I don’t want to lose you,” he finally muttered. “Or Steve. Maybe I’m selfish, but-”

“No you’re not,” Peter interrupted. Guilt pitted his stomach, and Bucky glared at him.

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Blame yourself. Bad habit. Quit it.”

“I…” Peter slid deeper into the bathtub. “I’ll try.”

Bucky gave a short nod, slouching further against the doorframe. They sat like that, Peter soaking up warmth and Bucky half in, half out of the bathroom. His metal hand clicked against the tiles as he tapped his fingers on the floor. The rhythm was steady and oddly calming; Peter’s muscles were relaxed by the time the water turned cold. He shifted, sitting up, and Bucky slunk out of sight. Peter heard his dresser drawers opening and closing, and a pile of clothes was pushed through the doorway.

“Thanks,” Peter said quietly. Bucky grunted in acknowledgement, waiting outside as Peter dried off and got dressed.

“Did it help,” Bucky asked when he stepped out of the bathroom, and he nodded. Bucky looked satisfied. “Are you going back to bed.”

Peter shook his head slowly; Bucky seemed to understand.

“What do you want to do.”

Peter furrowed his brow. “Do? I mean, I usually just… sit around. What is there to do?”

“Everything you do during the day. Just quieter.”

That almost drew a laugh out of Peter. “What do you usually do?”

“I visit Katie. She works at the coffee bar. She is a mission-assist.” Bucky paused. “I patrol, sometimes. Check perimeter. Remain undetected by night security.”

“The coffee bar’s open this late?”

“The coffee bar is always open. We can go. You must get decaf.”

“Hey,” Peter complained, but there was no heat to his tone. He followed Bucky to the elevator, which took them down to the floor with the coffee bar. A lady with slight wrinkles at the corners of her warm eyes and a round face framed with light brown hair was behind the counter, writing in a small notebook. She looked up when Bucky and Peter approached, and she gave them a wide smile.

“It’s good to see you, Barnes. Who’s this?”

“This is Peter,” Bucky said, securing an arm around Peter as the came to stand by the counter.

“I’m Katie. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said, offering Peter a hand, which he shook. “What’ll it be tonight?”

Bucky sat down, and Peter mirrored him. “The usual,” he said. Katie turned to Peter, whose eyes widened slightly.

“Um…” he looked to Bucky for help; decision making wasn’t his strength in the middle of the night.

“He’ll have a mocha. Decaf.”

“Coming right up,” Katie said cheerfully. Peter watched as she made their coffees and talked to Bucky about a book that Peter had never heard of. They both seemed to have enjoyed it. Katie set a steaming cup in front of Bucky, then one in front of Peter.

“How’s school going for you, Peter?” she asked, pulling her stool over and sitting across the bar from him.

“I… uh… it’s fine,” Peter said, surprised at the question. She honestly seemed interested, so he continued. “We just finished a english project where we had to write fairy tales, but in groups, so we each wrote a few paragraphs and edited each other’s work. That was kind of cool.”

“That sounds really interesting! Do you enjoy writing?”

“I mean, I’m more of a science person, but I don’t hate it. I have a good teacher.”

“That makes a difference, doesn’t it? I never really liked science, but I had a _great _teacher for my freshman- no, sophomore year of high school, so I ended up enjoying biology.”__

__“I’m taking chemistry this year, and I just got a new teacher who’s really nice,” Peter said. “The last one wasn’t so great.”_ _

__“I’m glad you got a new one. If you’re taking chemistry this year, the next year is… physics?”_ _

__Peter nodded. “Yeah. I think it’ll be fun.”_ _

__Katie laughed lightly. “I’m glad you think so. I’m more of a literature nerd, so I found physics really boring. I almost failed the class.”_ _

__Peter winced sympathetically, taking a sip of his almost too-hot coffee. His tongue prickled, but didn’t burn. Katie looked briefly over at Bucky, who seemed content to sit and listen. She turned back to Peter, resting her hand against her chin._ _

__“What is gym class like for you kids these days? Still dodgeball and pacer tests?”_ _

__“Not as much dodgeball,” Peter said. “Earlier in the year, we had to make our own workout videos. That was sort of funny. Right now, we’re doing a basketball unit. I’m not that tall, so…”_ _

__“I’m sure you’re better than I was!” said Katie. “Don’t worry about it. Have you been hit in the head with the ball yet?”_ _

__“Only once,” Peter replied. “Basketballs are surprisingly hard.”_ _

__“Aren’t they? Have you done badminton yet? I find it much more enjoyable.”_ _

__“Not yet. I think that happens near the end of the year. I like it better, too.”_ _

__Katie smiled, proceeding to ask about art electives and language classes; they talked until the end of Katie’s shift, when a young man with a dimpled smile came to replace her. She gathered her things and Peter and Bucky walked her to the elevators; she got into one going down and they headed up to the shared floor to watch Disney movies until the sun rose. It was then that Peter realized he was more relaxed than he had been in a while, particularly given the circumstances why he was awake. He resolved to seek help more often, instead of sitting in bed and shivering through the pain that his unconscious inflicted upon him._ _

__\----_ _

__The next morning, Peter and Bucky were greeted by a video of Esther snoring loudly, punctuated at the end by a loud “I told you so!” from Lidia that made Esther shriek and Eleanor hiss furiously. The video ended in the middle of a cackle from Lidia, and the caption stated that Lidia would be bringing homemade _sernik_ as a thank-you. Peter wasn’t sure what _sernik_ was, but Bucky looked approving, so he guessed it was delicious. _ _

__He was happy to find later that he was entirely correct. _Sernik_ was a Polish version of cheesecake, and it was just as good as Bucky’s cookies, which Peter hadn’t even thought was possible. Clint tried to steal a bite when Peter’s head was turned and got a smack on the wrist for his trouble; Peter seemed torn between apologizing for his reflexes and being proud of guarding his treat. Bucky let out a tiny snort of mirth at Clint’s yelp and accusation of betrayal._ _

__“Injustice!” Clint complained. “Tyranny! Why don’t I get any?”_ _

__“ _You_ didn’t help me take a secret video of Esther snoring,” Lidia told him. “Only accomplices get _sernik_.”_ _

__“I can be an accomplice! What’s your next mission?”_ _

__Lidia pondered this for a minute. “I would like to catch Eleanor chewing on my hairbrush. There are teeth marks in the handle, I _know_ she does it, but I never seem to see her at it.”_ _

__“I can do that! I’ll set up a camera, like a GoPro or something… Where’s Tony? Tony! I need a camera!”_ _

__“You’d better not be making porn with it!” Tony called._ _

__Clint gasped dramatically, clapping his hands over Peter’s ears. “Not in front of the child!”_ _

__Tony poked his head into the living room. “You heard nothing, Peter!”_ _

__Peter’s cheeks turned pink. Lidia laughed so hard she nearly fell out of her chair. Bucky raised a hand to her back just in case._ _

__“I should visit more often, Jimmy,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes. “Your friends are quite funny.”_ _

__Bucky smiled a little as Peter wriggled away from Clint, his plate of _sernik_ clutched tightly in his hands. It might not have been the best night, but the morning was making up for it, Peter decided. He watched as Clint dug around for a camera, taking another bite of his _sernik _and savoring the taste.___ _

____“Thank you,” he said earnestly to Lidia, and she beamed at him, looking far younger than her gray hair and wrinkled skin usually allowed. Something warm bubbled up in Peter’s chest; he realized that he felt incredibly at home._ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up in the series: I don't want to spoil it, but it includes some almost dying, guilt complexes, and heavy angst; you might need tissues! I've been quite busy lately, but I'll try to post the first chapter of it within the next week or so. Many thanks to all of you readers!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Comments are appreciated! :)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The One Where Bucky Gives Peter a Teddy Bear](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14094525) by [Aprilmallick](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aprilmallick/pseuds/Aprilmallick)
  * [The Bees and the Bees](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14674119) by [Aprilmallick](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aprilmallick/pseuds/Aprilmallick)




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